Online Bible

Job’s Friends Are No Help

Then Job ¹answered,

2 “^aOh that my grief were actually weighedAnd laid in the balances together with my calamity!3 “For then it would be ^aheavier than the sand of the seas;Therefore my words have been rash.4 “For the ^aarrows of the Almighty are within me,¹Their ^bpoison my spirit drinks;The ^cterrors of God are arrayed against me.5 “Does the ^awild donkey bray over his grass,Or does the ox low over his fodder?6 “Can something tasteless be eaten without salt,Or is there any taste in the white of an ¹egg?7 “My soul ^arefuses to touch them;They are like loathsome food to me.

8 “Oh that my request might come to pass,And that God would grant my longing!9 “Would that God were ^awilling to crush me,That He would loose His hand and cut me off!10 “But it is still my consolation,And I rejoice in unsparing pain,That I ^ahave not ¹denied the words of the Holy One.11 “What is my strength, that I should wait?And what is my end, that I should ¹^aendure?12 “Is my strength the strength of stones,Or is my flesh bronze?13 “Is it that my ^ahelp is not within me,And that ¹^bdeliverance is driven from me?

14 “For the ^adespairing man there should be kindness from his friend;So that he does not ^bforsake the ¹fear of the Almighty.15 “My brothers have acted ^adeceitfully like a ¹wadi,Like the torrents of ²wadis which vanish,16 Which are turbid because of iceAnd into which the snow ¹melts.17 “When ^athey become waterless, they ¹are silent,When it is hot, they vanish from their place.18 “The ¹paths of their course wind along,They go up into nothing and perish.19 “The caravans of ^aTema looked,The travelers of ^bSheba hoped for them.20 “They ^awere ¹disappointed for they had trusted,They came there and were confounded.21 “Indeed, you have now become such,^aYou see a terror and are afraid.22 “Have I said, ‘Give me something,’Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the hand of the adversary,’Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?

24 “Teach me, and ^aI will be silent;And show me how I have erred.25 “How painful are honest words!But what does your argument prove?26 “Do you intend to reprove my words,When the ^awords of one in despair belong to the wind?27 “You would even ^acast lots for ^bthe orphansAnd ^cbarter over your friend.28 “Now please look at me,And see if I ^alie to your face.29 “Desist now, let there be no injustice;Even desist, ^amy righteousness is yet in it.30 “Is there injustice on my tongue?Cannot ^amy palate discern ¹calamities?

Job’s Friends Are No Help

Then Job responded,

2 “^aOh if only my grief were actually weighedAnd laid in the balances together with my disaster!3 “For then it would be ^aheavier than the sand of the seas;For that reason my words have been rash.4 “For the ^aarrows of the Almighty are within me,¹My spirit drinks their ^bpoison;The ^cterrors of God line up against me.5 “Does the ^awild donkey bray over his grass,Or does the ox low over his feed?6 “Can something tasteless be eaten without salt,Or is there any taste in the juice of an ¹alkanet plant?7 “My soul ^arefuses to touch them;They are like loathsome food to me.

8 “Oh, that my request might come to pass,And that God would grant my hope!9 “Oh, that God would ^adecide to crush me,That He would let loose His hand and cut me off!10 “But it is still my comfort,And I rejoice in unsparing pain,That I ^ahave not ¹denied the words of the Holy One.11 “What is my strength, that I should wait?And what is my end, that I should ¹^aendure?12 “Is my strength the strength of stones,Or is my flesh bronze?13 “Is it that my ^ahelp is not within me,And that a ^bgood outcome is driven away from me?

14 “For the ^adespairing man there should be kindness from his friend;So that he does not ^babandon the ¹fear of the Almighty.15 “My brothers have acted ^adeceitfully like a ¹wadi,Like the torrents of ²wadis which drain away,16 Which are darkened because of ice,And into which the snow ¹melts.17 “When ^athey dry up, they vanish;When it is hot, they disappear from their place.18 “The ¹paths of their course wind along,They go up into wasteland and perish.19 “The caravans of ^aTema looked,The travelers of ^bSheba hoped for them.20 “They ^awere put to shame, for they had trusted,They came there and were humiliated.21 “Indeed, you have now become such,^aYou see terrors and are afraid.22 “Have I said, ‘Give me something,’Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’23 Or, ‘Save me from the hand of the enemy,’Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of the tyrants’?

24 “Teach me, and ^aI will be silent;And show me how I have done wrong.25 “How painful are honest words!But what does your argument prove?26 “Do you intend to rebuke my words,When the ^awords of one in despair belong to the wind?27 “You would even ^acast lots for ^bthe orphans,And ^cbarter over your friend.28 “Now please look at me,And see if I am ^alying to your face.29 “Please turn away, let there be no injustice;Turn away, ^amy righteousness is still in it.30 “Is there injustice on my tongue?Does ^amy palate not discern disasters?